Middle East

Saudi Arabia says to slash oil output by 1 million barrels a day from July

Saudi Arabia announced the decision to expand voluntary cuts to its crude oil output from July in a bid to help efforts to reinforce global oil prices. The rest of the OPEC+ oil producers have already agreed to extend earlier cuts in supply through the end of 2024.

Iran’s 1st VP join’s Erdogan’s swearing-in ceremony in Ankara

Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber joins the swearing-in of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following his re-election for another term in office.

Navy chief: Iran will soon form alliance with Saudi Arabia, other regional states

The Iranian Navy chief says the Islamic Republic will soon establish a maritime coalition with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other states to help strengthen peace and stability in the neighborhood.

Top US diplomat Blinken due in Saudi Arabia within days

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Saudi Arabia next week, his first trip to the kingdom since Tehran and Riyadh agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations.

Saudi foreign minister to visit Tehran soon

Faisal bin Farhan Al Saudj, the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia says he will visit Tehran soon.

Envoy: Iran won’t be eliminated from reconstruction of post-crisis Syria

Tehran’s ambassador to Damascus rules out the speculation that Syria may eliminate Iran from the reconstruction of the Middle Eastern country in the post-crisis period, now that it is resuming relations with the Arab world.

WH says senior US, Israeli diplomats discussed Iran, Palestine

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has met with his Israeli counterpart to discuss matters concerning Iran, Palestine as well as the Russia-Ukraine war, the White House has announced.

Iran’s Raisi calls for closer ties with Turkey during Erdogan’s new term

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi offers congratulations to his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for his re-election, calling for the further expansion of relations between the two neighbors during Erdogan’s new term in office.

Official: Iran totally open to resumption of ties with Egypt

The spokesman of Iran’s administration says the Islamic Republic is fully open to a resumption of relations with Egypt, as Tehran pushes to boost relations with Persian Gulf Arab neighbors and other regional states.

UN envoy urges parties to Yemen conflict to take ‘serious steps’ to end war

UN special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg has called on both parties to the war in Yemen to take “serious steps” toward lasting peace amid intensified mediation efforts and end the eight-year conflict.

UN says acute food insecurity to deteriorate in several countries, including Afghanistan and Yemen within months

Severe food shortage is likely to grow in 18 "hunger hotspots" in 22 countries further in 2023, according to a report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Programme published on Monday.

Iran, Oman ink four agreements on economic, energy cooperation

Iran and Oman ink four agreements for cooperation in the fields of trade and energy, as the Persian Gulf country’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said visits the Islamic Republic.

Oman’s sultan arrives in Iran for two days of high-level talks

Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said is in the Iranian capital, Tehran, for two days of talks with the country’s top officials on issues of mutual and regional significance.

Iraq announces $17bn transport project linking Asia and Europe

Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has unveiled plans for a $17 billion regional transportation project intended to facilitate the flow of goods from Asia to Europe. The announcement was made at a one-day conference in Baghdad that gathered transport ministers and representatives from Iraq, the Persian Gulf countries, Turkey, Iran, Syria, and Jordan.

Oman announces prisoner swap between Iran, Belgium

Iran and Belgium have sent prisoners to the Omani capital of Muscat to carry out an exchange, Oman's foreign ministry confirmed on Friday.

Top Israeli officials to discuss Iran and Saudi Arabia with Biden’s aide

Senior Israeli officials are set to travel to Washington next week as the United States reportedly looks to enhance efforts on the Iranian nuclear deal and a normalisation between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia and Egypt looking to purchase Chinese weapons

Beijing is reportedly in talks with Saudi Arabia and Egypt to sell the two Arab states a variety of new arms, including the Chengdu J-10C, the fighter jet that forms the backbone of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).

Germany issues arrest warrant for Lebanon’s central bank governor

Germany's public prosecutor has informed the Lebanese judiciary of an arrest warrant for Lebanon's central bank governor Riad Salameh. It comes after French prosecutors issued a similar warrant for Salameh.

Ukraine, Syria leaders Zelensky and Assad attending Arab League meeting in Saudi Arabia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are attending the Arab League meeting in Saudi Arabia on Friday. 

US walks back claim Syria attack killed senior al-Qaeda leader

A man killed in a US strike in northwestern Syria earlier this month may not have been a senior Al-Qaeda leader as the Pentagon previously claimed, the Washington Post reported, citing US officials.

Sources say Ukraine’s Zelensky to attend Arab League meeting in Saudi Arabia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to participate in the Arab League summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Friday, according to an informed source.

UN chief holds phone talks with Iranian FM over JCPOA

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has held a telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian to discuss the 2015 nuclear deal, as well as regional developments including those in Yemen and Afghanistan, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric says.

Post-9/11 wars contributed to 4.5 million deaths: Report

A new report has revealed that the wars initiated by the United States in the Middle East and North Africa following the September 11 attacks have directly or indirectly killed at least 4.5 million people and displaced millions of others worldwide.

US says working on normalization of relations between S. Arabia and Israel

The White House wants to make a diplomatic push for a Saudi-Israeli peace deal in the next six to seven months before the US presidential election campaign consumes President Joe Biden’s agenda, two US officials with knowledge of the issue told Axios.

Iran congratulates Turkey over presidential, parliamentary votes

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman says the high voter turn-out in Turkey’s Sunday elections is a sign of “victory for democracy” in Turkey.

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